At today's rate of consumption, the world's known reserves of tantalum will last about more years, but if everyone in the world began consuming tantalum at the rate of u. s. citizens, then it would last for only years.

while setting up his new office, an attorney ordered thick, frieze carpets for the floor. however, the building inspector had him remove the expensive carpeting. the building inspector stated that according to federal regulations, the office must be wheelchair accessible as it is a public area. he further explained that since wheelchairs do not maneuver well in thick, frieze carpeting, the carpets had to be removed and be replaced with smooth-textured carpets that do not restrict wheelchair maneuverability. this scenario illustrates how a company is influenced by the component of its specific environment.

Which of the following businesses is most likely to disrupt an existing industry? a. closer connex developed an earphone that receives emails and text messages and converts them to voice messages. the first models had poor reception, but they rapidly improved over time. b. mega technologies reconfigured the components used in its touchscreen tablets to create a new type of wearable device for use in restaurants and other service industries. c. particle inc. developed a teleportation technology that can transport physical materials instantaneously across great distances. d. altrea added advanced camera technology to its premium line of smartphones so that they would take the highest-quality photos of all phones on the market.

Which of the following best explains the purpose of protectionist trade policies such as tariffs and subsidies? a. they make sure that governments have enough money to pay for fiscal policies. b. they give foreign competitors access to new markets around the world. c. they allow producers to sell their products more cheaply than foreign competitors. d. they enable producers to purchase productive resources from everywhere in the world.